10 Key Takeaways From The New Suicide Squad Trailer

Last week, Warner Bros. unveiled the first official trailer for David Ayer's Suicide Squad. While it technically wasn't our first look at the movie - that came when the studio was forced to release the Comic-Con footage online after a bootleg copy was leaked - it definitely did its job of getting fans excited for what's to come from 2016's second DC release. While Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice is pretty much a guaranteed hit, Suicide Squad is a big test for the studio. If it does well critically and commercially, it could very well change the landscape of how the bad guys are utilized in superhero movies. Who knows, maybe Sony will even give the greenlight to that scrapped Sinister Six spinoff? There's still a way to go until we find out just how Suicide Squad will perform, but the action-packed preview was certainly crammed full of awesome reveals and epic moments, and here you will find ten of them. 10) A Killer Croc Who Eats People When it was revealed that Killer Croc would be brought to life on the big screen with practical effects rather than motion capture, a lot of fans were understandably disappointed. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje may have looked good in that first official image and the set photos that followed, but he definitely wasn't the hulking beast that the character has often been portrayed as in the comic books and Arkham video games. Thankfully, this new Suicide Squad trailer confirms that he's still very much a monster as we hear Rick Flag reveal that he eats people and even get a glimpse of Croc doing just that. Also, given that he looks more human than animal make the fact that this version of the villain is a cannibal all the more disturbing and frightening. 9) The Music Some trailers make great use of music, but others really drop the ball and end up making their movie look like something else altogether because of that one poor song choice (hence why there's been a lot of chatter around that first look at Star Trek Beyond, for example). In the case of Suicide Squad though, Warner Bros. really nailed it. Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" suits the action on screen perfectly and definitely seems to match the tone of the first superhero movie starring a group of villains. While it remains to be seen whether or not David Ayer will utilize this and other tracks in the movie a la Guardians of the Galaxy, a lot of fans are hoping that this trailer was an indication that Suicide Squad will end up sounding just as unique as it looks. 8) Soultaker There's been so much talk about the DC Films Universe being grounded and grittier than Marvel's that it's been damn near impossible not to worry about whether or not Warner Bros. would embrace realism a little too much, losing what makes these characters special in the process. Thankfully, this new look at Suicide Squad proves that David Ayer isn't shying away from the source material, something which is evident from the fact that Katana is quite clearly wielding the Soultaker. For those of you unfamiliar with the sword, it actually collects the souls of those it kills and even talks to Katana - Rick Flag's bodyguard in this movie - and tries to get her to commit evil acts. It'd be hard to include anything more comic book-y than that in Suicide Squad. 7) Embracing The Supernatural Side Of The DCU The problem with a movie focusing on a group of villains is figuring out who or what they should be pitted against. After all, how do you find a bad guy who is worse than an entire team of them? Well, it seems as if David Ayer is delving into the supernatural side of the DC Comics Universe, and while it's still not entirely clear who the movie's big bad is, having Task Force X square off against a monstrous force capable of ending the world feels like a smart move. While it's possible that Enchantress is the one in charge of all that chaos, it sounds like she's actually part of the team, so could The Joker have something to do with it? We obviously don't know as of right now, but it seems possible that the film might just help set the stage for the likes of Justice League Dark and Shazam. 6) Harley Quinn The big screen debut of Harley Quinn is long overdue, and everything in this trailer points to Margot Robbie being the perfect choice to bring the character to life in Suicide Squad. While she doesn't have the same cartoonish voice or over the top mannerisms of either her comic book or animated counterparts, her Harley still feels dangerously unhinged - an accurate representation of what makes her so popular. There's something to love about pretty much every shot of her in this new look at the movie, whether it's Harley drinking tea in her prison cell or flashing a cheeky smile and waving as she rides that elevator. The actress' take on the comic book icon basically feels perfect and she remains one of the most exciting things about the movie. 5) A Badass Will Smith After Earth really hurt Will Smith's credibility as a leading man, but after bouncing back with Focus and Concussion, the beloved actor now looks set to truly redeem himself by playing Deadshot in Suicide Squad. There are already rumours that Warner Bros. are so impressed with his performance that they want him in Ben Affleck's upcoming Batman movie, and it's not hard to see why after watching this trailer. The shot of him taking on an entire squad of prison guards is very cool, but it still pales in comparison to the sight of Deadshot (sans mask unfortunately, though we do get to see that briefly a little earlier in the trailer) standing atop a car and shooting down an unseen threat. This is Will Smith back to his badass best, and he promises to be a definite highlight here. 4) "We're Bad Guys" There's no two ways about it; this was just a really cool line to end the trailer on. While we'll no doubt end up rooting for at least some of the members of Task Force X when Suicide Squad hits the big screen later this year, it's important to remember that the team is still made up of characters who have tried to take out beloved heroes like Batman and The Flash, no doubt killing plenty of innocents in the process. Of course, there's still a lot of fun to be had following the adventures of villains, as they're not held back by any of the moral issues that superheroes are, giving in to pretty much any and every desire they have. That's something which is evident from Harley just casually smashing open a store window and taking a purse that she happens to like the look of. 3) Pretty Much Everything Captain Boomerang Related While you might think that a big name character like The Joker or Harley Quinn will end up stealing the show in Suicide Squad, don't be surprised if it's actually Jai Courtney's Captain Boomerang. The Australian actor has had mixed fortunes in blockbusters like A Good Day to Die Hard and Terminator: Genisys (both of which failed to make an impact either critically or financially), but he looks like he's having a lot of fun in this role. Whether it's knocking out an A.R.G.U.S. agent or drinking a pint while a battle rages on around him, this Flash villain has all the makings of a character who will end up becoming an instant fan-favourite thanks to this movie - which is a very pleasant surprise - and his scenes in this trailer are among the funniest and most enjoyable. 2) The Joker's Toys And Tuxedo We still don't know exactly how much The Joker will factor into Suicide Squad, but there are more than enough shots of him in this trailer to indicate that he'll be getting a decent amount of screen time. Among the highlights is a shot of the villain in a tuxedo, a look which should instantly be familiar to comic book fans who remember Alex Ross' iconic painting of The Joker and Harley Quinn. However, even better than that is the sight of the Clown Prince of Crime laughing to himself while lying on the floor surrounded by knives, guns, and pretty much every other weapon you can imagine. It's clear that this version of the character is darker and more violent than any we've seen before, and this is a moment which emphasizes that in a very disturbing way. 1) Harley Quinn's Origin Story There's been a fair bit of controversy about this over the past week, but following The New 52 comics by having The Joker be the one responsible for creating Harley Quinn feels right to me. Originally, Arkham Asylum psychiatrist Dr. Harleen Quinzel fell in love with The Joker and decided to become his sidekick, but both this and the Comic-Con preview make it clear that the big screen version is going to be forcibly changed into Harley. That just means her backstory is all the more tragic and disturbing, and makes the Clown Prince of Crime an even more despicable figure. The sight of him basically baptising her in the same A.C.E. Chemicals vat he became The Joker in feels like a soon to be iconic moment, and it will be very interesting to see how this all plays out when Suicide Squad finally hits theatres.